Risk Management Self-Evaluation Framework (RMSEF)
Risk assessment and risk management are integral to the hazardous materials transportation safety program.
All parties perform these functions, whether they are aware of it or not or whether they use these terms to describe what they do.
Risk assessment and risk management are not necessarily complicated.
They often involve simple judgment.
In other situations, more rigorous or formal applications may be warranted.
To aid this process, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's (PHMSA) Office of Hazardous Materials Safety (OHMS)
recently sponsored development of a framework for risk management applicable to the transportation of hazardous materials.
The product, designated as the Risk Management Self-Evaluation Framework (RMSEF), provides a basic framework for managing
risk as part of the hazardous materials transportation process. RMSEF is a tool for all parties (regulators, shippers,
carriers, emergency response personnel, etc.) to look at their operations and consider how they assess and manage risk.
Input from a wide variety of sources was sought during the RMSEF development process, which had contractor support.
A public meeting was held on November 4-5, 1999 at the Transportation Research Board, Bethesda, MD.
A panel of experts was convened on June 1, 2000 at the Nassif Building, Washington, D.C. to critique and improve the product.
Use of RMSEF is voluntary. RMSEF is not a regulatory requirement, a standard, or a "best practice."
RMSEF is best considered as guidance and assistance.
It is flexible and can be tailored to individual circumstances.
You can compare what you do with the RMSEF structure.
OHMS plans to use it in its regulatory functions in order to make better risk-informed decisions.
You may participate in an industry program with similar objectives.
Again, a comparison may be useful.
Through this comparison, ideas for improvement may emerge.
A few questions to ask are:
Which elements of the framework are applicable to your organization?
Would adoption of the framework, or portions thereof, help you establish priorities for risk reduction?
Are resources available to do more in any of these areas?
Central to the assessment is identification of control points where interventions that affect risk are possible.
For instance, establishment of specific operating procedures and check lists are ways to minimize human error.
At times these risk control points may be such that limits can be established, measurements can be made,
and corrective actions taken if the limits are exceeded. The temperature of a cryogenic liquid during
transportation is one example where this may be possible. The level of training of employees may be another
situation where certain baselines can be established. People applying these techniques should be alert to
such opportunities.
PHMSA and OHMS encourage those involved in hazardous materials transportation to use the framework as a tool,
as appropriate, in their quest to improve safety. We would appreciate feedback on your experience using
RMSEF or similar tools.
We would like to know of successes or areas where difficulties are encountered.
Your suggestions for improvement are particularly welcome.
Feedback and suggestions can be provided at the Risk Management page:
http://hazmat.dot.gov/risk.htm, or by calling A. Douglas Reeves, (202) 366-4438.
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